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A wildfire at Table Rock State Park, which ignited on Friday, has already consumed over 1,000 acres and continues to grow.

The Pickens County Sheriff's Office reported that four teenage hikers started the fire.

The teenagers allegedly ignited the blaze out of negligence, and due to the dry conditions, it quickly spread out of control.

Authorities are investigating the incident and assessing potential charges against the individuals involved.

Deputies said they initially discovered the blaze while conducting a search operation for missing hiker Stephanie Womacks.

As they combed through the area, they spotted smoke rising from the vicinity, prompting them to investigate further.

The wildfire has since complicated the search for Womacks, but officials said they remain dedicated to controlling the fire and locating the missing individual.

SC Burning Ban

On Friday, March 21, the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a State Forester's Burning Ban for all counties.

The ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, and campfires.

Forestry Commission officials said the current weather conditions, including high winds and gusts, dramatically increase the risk of wildfires.

These conditions led to the issuing of a Red Flag Fire Alert, signaling the severe potential for fire spread.

Additionally, extremely low relative humidity—below 30% in most areas—increases fire danger.

SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones said gusty winds and low relative humidity create ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite and spread quickly.

He noted that the abundance of dry, late-winter fuels on the ground exacerbates the situation, making it crucial for residents to adhere to the burning ban.

The chief urged everyone to exercise extreme caution and avoid activities that could inadvertently start a fire.

For real-time updates and to monitor the situation, click here to view the Table Rock Webcam.

Multi-agency wildfire contaminate operation

According to a press release from the Pickens County Sheriff's Office, fire crews from multiple agencies have been mobilized to combat the blaze, with more than 100 personnel actively working on the ground.

Resources from the South Carolina Forestry Commission, SC State Fire, The Nature Conservancy, Greenville Water, the USDA Forest Service, DNR, SLED, Pickens County Emergency Management, and local fire departments have been deployed.

These teams are utilizing a combination of ground and aerial strategies to contain the fire and protect nearby communities.

The statewide burning ban issued Friday at 6 p.m. remains in effect until further notice.

Here is what we know about evacuations in the Table Rock State Park area.

Table Rock State Park wildfire: Evacuations

According to a press release from the Pickens County Sheriff's Office, voluntary evacuations of approximately 100 residences remain in effect just east of the park, though no further evacuations are necessary.

Residents in the surrounding areas are advised to stay informed through local news and social media if the situation changes.

Emergency services are closely monitoring the fire's progress to ensure public safety.

No further evacuations are expected, but residents are advised to stay vigilant.

Here is what you should know about trail systems closed at Table Rock State Park.

Table Rock State Park wildfire: Trail systems closed

Table Rock State Park has closed all trail systems, including the popular White Oaks Campground, Lake Oolenoy, Lake Pinnacle, and day-use visitation areas until further notice, according to a press release from the Pickens County Sheriff's Office.

Table Rock State Park wildfire: what to know about traffic delays

Heavy traffic along SC Highway 11 has significantly hampered response efforts and caused hazardous driving conditions, according to a Pickens County Sheriff's Office press release.

The presence of heavy smoke along the road has further complicated travel along the route, making it a challenging area for emergency responders and regular motorists.

Residents and motorists are advised to avoid the area, and as a precaution, the Grant Overlook is currently closed.

Here is what you should know about the recycling centerin the Table Rock area.

Table Rock Recycling Center

The recycling center near Table Rock will be closed on Monday due to the ongoing wildfire.

Here is what you should know about additional wildfires in South Carolina.

Additional wildfires nearby: what to know

The Persimmon Ridge Fire, which officials have determined to be human-caused, began on March 22 in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area.

According to a press release from the South Carolina Forestry Commission, this incident has increased concerns about the region's human activity and its impact on the natural environment.

Authorities urge visitors to exercise extreme caution and follow all guidelines to prevent further incidents.

Table Rock State Park Wildfire: Containment efforts

The South Carolina Forestry Commission reported that containment efforts for the Table Rock Fire and the Persimmon Ridge Fire remained at 0%.

Despite the current lack of containment, no reported injuries have occurred, and no structures are considered in immediate danger.

The commission continues prioritizing firefighters' and residents' safety while working diligently to manage these fires.

Anita Pritchard, the public information officer for the Table Rock Complex, stated that the rainy weather the mountainous area experienced early this morning would not stop the fire.

However, it will slow its progress at the moment, Pritchard said.

Pritchard explained that firefighters today focus on indirect and direct attack strategies.

"In a direct attack, firefighters engage the flames head-on to suppress the fire at its source," Pritchard said. "Meanwhile, an indirect attack involves creating a perimeter or 'box' around the fire, using controlled burns and natural barriers to limit its spread."

Pritchard said they are utilizing fire breaks initially constructed during the Pinnacle Mountain fire in 2016.

Here is what you should know about fire breaks.

According to the South Carolina Forestry Commission, fire breaks are cleared areas of bare ground or fire-resistant material designed to act as barriers to stop or slow the spread of wildfires.

Pritchard explained that these breaks are being re-established and connected to the Saluda River to help contain the Table Rock Fire.

By reinforcing these strategic lines, firefighters aim to prevent fires from advancing and protect the surrounding communities.

"Similar tactics are being employed for the Persimmon Ridge Fire," Pritchard said.

Persimmon Ridge Wildfire: Containment efforts

According to the South Carolina Forestry Commission, human activity ignited both the Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires.

Here is what you need to know about the Persimmon Ridge Fire.

Pritchard noted that the indirect attack strategy on the Persimmon Ridge Fire involves utilizing existing roads and the nearby creek to establish a containment box.

"We have used aerial resources extensively to combat these fires," Pritchard said.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission has contracted two single-engine air tankers to help suppress fires.

These planes have helped slow the fire's progress by directly dropping water and fire retardant onto the affected areas.

"The water won't stop the fire," Pritchard said. "However, it slows the fire's progression and allows that fire break to be constructed more effectively."

Helene's impact on current wildfires: what to know

Tropical Storm Helene left a massive amount of debris, significantly increasing the fuel load in the affected areas.

Pritchard said this additional fuel has made it more challenging for firefighters to access certain regions and effectively contain wildfires.

"As a result, an indirect approach is necessary due to the steep terrain and heavy fuel remnants left by Hurricane Helene," Pritchard said. "We attempted to fight this fire directly, but the challenging conditions required a shift in strategy."

This adaptation involves creating strategic fire breaks and utilizing natural barriers to effectively manage fire spread.

"We sent hand crews up there to construct a hand line, but the downed debris made it extremely challenging," Pritchard explained. "The crisscrossing and overlapping large trees blocked their path, making it nearly impossible to create an effective line.

"Firefighters are continuing their efforts to control the wildfires," Pritchard said.

Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at [email protected].

Broad swaths of South Carolina’s Table Rock State Park were ablaze on Saturday evening as a wildfire caused the previous day by a group of negligent teenagers burned out of control.

As of 10:15 p.m. EDT on Saturday (March 22, 2025) the fire had consumed an estimated 110 acres, according to local emergency management officials – and was continuing to expand. All trails at the park were shut down as firefighters and officials with the S.C. Forestry Commission worked to get a handle on the situation.

“While more than 30 personnel from the South Carolina Forestry Commission, The Nature Conservancy, Greenville Water, the USDA Forest Service and local fire departments are working to contain the fire, the steep, mountainous terrain is making it difficult for firefighters to access the active fire and establish more effective firebreaks,” a statement from the commission noted.

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This is the scene of the Table Rock Fire in Pickens County, South Carolina. The blaze, which ignited on Friday, has already scorched more than 35 acres and continues to spread. Crews are actively battling the fire with the support of four aircraft. Officials say the fire was… pic.twitter.com/tbgrwtppfy

— Jackson Gosnell (@jacksongosnell) March 23, 2025

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Assets of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) were also helping firefighters in their efforts, although as of late Saturday evening the blaze was 0% contained.

SLED and the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) were investigating the cause of the fire – which sheriff Tommy Blankenship said was attributable to the deliberate negligence of a group of teenage hikers.

“Four teenagers have been questioned, and charges are pending,” a statement from the sheriff’s office noted.

According to Blankenship, “the young men that are responsible for the fire have been identified.”

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Blankenship said his deputies – who happened to be in the area searching for a hiker who went missing earlier this month – barely made it off the mountain alive after the fire was set.

“Our deputies barely escaped the fire,” Blankenship said. “They were very blessed that they were uninjured.”

Conditions aren’t just making it hard for firefighters to combat the blaze – they are making it easy for the conflagration to spread.

“Several spot fires – when embers land on the unburned side of a fireline – have led to new ignitions outside of the original fire area,” the commission statement continued. “Exacerbating the situation is an abundance of downed timber from Hurricane Helene, which has increased the fuel load on the mountain. Fire weather conditions have continued to deteriorate today, with wind gusts increasing, and relative humidity dropping below 20%. Four aircraft have been providing aviation support all day, including one SCFC airplane surveying the fire, two SCFC single-engine air tankers dropping water and one SLED helicopter using a Bambi bucket to drop water. Officials are hoping to add more air resources tomorrow as the situation evolves.”

Thankfully, as of this publication no injuries have been reported in connection with the fire – nor are any structures currently threatened by it. However, voluntary evacuations were issued for residences on multiple roads in the vicinity of the park.

Those included:

“Officials are going door-to-door to make residents aware of the call for voluntary evacuations and also working to establish a nearby evacuation center yet to be determined,” the commission noted. “Residents on these roads are not in immediate danger, but are being notified of the possibility of the eventual spread of the Table Rock Fire to their vicinity.”

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S.C. governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Saturday afternoon in response to the deteriorating situation. McMaster also reinforced the commission’s previously announced statewide “Red Flag” order. That directive “prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, campfires, bonfires and other recreational fires in all unincorporated areas of the state.”

“As this wildfire continues to spread, the state of emergency allows us to mobilize resources quickly and ensure our firefighters have the support they need to protect lives and property,” McMaster said. “Given the elevated risk of wildfires throughout the state, the statewide burning ban will remain in effect until further notice. Anyone who violates this ban can and will go to jail.”

“We always urge all South Carolinians to stay vigilant against wildfire, but the best way people can do that right now is to take seriously – and abide by – the Forestry Commission’s current statewide burning ban,” commission fire chief Darryl Jones said. “As we warned when issuing the ban yesterday, weather conditions across the state are presenting a greatly elevated risk for wildfire, and we’re seeing that play out at the Table Rock Fire and elsewhere.”

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TABLE ROCK FIRE UPDATE – PICKENS COUNTY SC – 18:00:00 –MARCH 22, 2025The Table Rock Fire, which ignited Friday, is estimated at 35-plus acres and continues to grow. While more than 30 personnel from the South Carolina Forestry Commission, The Nature Conservancy, Greenville… pic.twitter.com/vsqRRbaFoD

— South Carolina Forestry Commission (@ForestryCommish) March 22, 2025

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Located in Pickens County – thirteen miles north of Pickens, S.C. – Table Rock State Park encompasses more than 3,000 acres of mountainous forest. It includes Pinnacle Mountain, the tallest mountain contained entirely within the Palmetto State.

Pinnacle Mountain, incidentally, was the site of the largest wildfire in the history of the Upstate back in November 2016. That blaze – which began with an escaped campfire – raged for several weeks and consumed 10,623 acres.

Wildfires have burned rampant across South Carolina so far this year. Earlier this month, FITSNews reported on a rash of blazes fueled by low humidity, a lack of precipitation and high winds – the very conditions now prevailing on Table Rock.

“Operations will resume Sunday morning with additional tractor and hand crews as well as enhanced air support utilizing Blackhawk and Schnook helicopters as well as air tankers,” local emergency responders noted late Saturday evening.

Keep it tuned to FITSNews for the latest developments on this developing Upstate emergency situation…

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UPDATE |

The latest on the blaze…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. —

Authorities in Pickens County said they are searching for a missing camper.

The sheriff's office said Stephanie Womacks was last seen at her campsite at Table Rock State Park on Monday around 5:30 p.m. When her husband returned from buying camping supplies, we're told he said he couldn't find her.

Investigators said she was last seen wearing a brown hoodie and jeans.

Her walking stick and a blanket were also missing from her campsite, officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Pickens County Sheriff's Office at 864-898-5500.

"This was their first time at Table Rock. They were actually visiting us, from Georgia. Right now, we've been covering the entire state park. This is about 3500 acres of ground that we're covering," said Billy Gibson, Director of Pickens County Emergency Management.

Wednesday, around 80 people and more than a dozen agencies covered ground within two miles from the White Oak Campground she was last seen at. Pickens County Sheriff's Office led the search.

From canines to computers they used every tool at their disposal, including a map that tracks where crews have and haven't searched.

"We know that that first 24 hours is usually pretty critical," said Gibson. "And we throw in some factors, such as weather that that can be even more crucial. So, this helps us to be more efficient."

On top of the sheer amount of ground teams have to cover, Gibson said wind gusts grounded drone teams and SLED's helicopter most of Wednesday. Both are necessary in a rocky region like this.

"This is very mountainous," he said. "There are a lot of places that we just can't get to because there's sheer drop offs and things of that nature."

Dog crews on the scene Wednesday morning were holding out hope, using a dog that can sniff missing people who are still alive.

We're told Womacks is not an experienced hiker. Her husband and son are staying at Table Rock State Park as the search continues.

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Stephanie Womacks went missing while camping at Table Rock State Park

PICKENS, S.C. (WBTV) - A woman who went missing while camping at a South Carolina state park earlier this month still has not been found.

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office said 52-year-old Stephanie Womacks went missing the night of March 3, when she reportedly walked away from her campsite at Table Rock State Park.

In the two weeks since her disappearance, dozens of first responders scoured the woods for several days. The search efforts included drone, dive and K-9 teams, as well as help from a helicopter.

During a March 17 update, Pickens County Sheriff Tommy Blankenship said “large group, official efforts” were over, but that Womacks’ family has expressed interest in organizing volunteer search teams.

“Throughout the search, law enforcement has pursued every available lead and has utilized every resource at our disposal,” Blankenship said. “We’ve also worked in close coordination with state, local and federal authorities.”

The sheriff said his office has “absolutely no reason” to suspect foul play in the case, and said Womacks’ family has been “completely cooperative and unwavering” in the search for her.

Blankenship said the case remained open and offered to continue supporting search efforts.

“You know, there’s a level of determination, that we’re going to come out here, we’re going to find her, we’re going to work as hard as we can,” Womacks’ son, Isaiah Wilkins, told sister-station WHNS. “Nobody expected this. She’s 52 years old. She’s a combat veteran. She’s a strong individual. She’s determined. So, for this to have gone on as long as it has has been difficult.”

WHNS reported that it was Womacks’ husband who discovered she was missing after he returned from getting supplies.

Shortly after the search began, the sheriff said Womacks’ walking stick and camping blanket were missing from the campsite. Several days after her disappearance, officials said several items that belonged to Womacks were found in a mountainous area away from the park’s designated hiking trails.

Womacks was reportedly wearing a brown hoodie, jeans and black tennis shoes when she went missing. She is five feet tall and weighs around 100 pounds.

Anyone with information about the case should call the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office at 864-898-5500.

Related: Beloved North Carolina volunteer found dead at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Watch continuous news coverage here:

Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.

(Update Thursday) The Table Rock fire doubled in size through yesterday and is now measuring at 4,556 acres of affected land, according to infrared data obtained from a surveillance flight Wednesday at 2 p.m.

The Persimmon Ridge fire also grew yesterday, now totaling 1,553 acres of affected land, however late-afternoon reports from fireline personnel indicate that the wildfire has certainly grown past that size.

Both fires remain 0% contained.

(Update Wednesday) Both the Table Rock fire in Pickens County and the Persimmon Ridge fire in Greeneville County have doubled if not nearly tripled in size in the past day, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.

The Table Rock Fire now sits at a size of 2, 293 acres and the Persimmon Ridge Fire sits at 996 acres.

A statement from the commission says that while good progress was made on strengthening firebreaks on some portions of both fires earlier in the day, wind gusts dramatically increased fire activity later in the afternoon, resulting in greater, visible fire intensity and much more smoke.

They state that the abundance of downed timber from Hurricane Helene remains dry from the lack of significant rain, and the timber is contributing greatly to extreme fire behavior.

Both fires are still 0% contained.

(Original) Two active wildfires are still burning in the upstate of South Carolina, consuming over a thousand acres of land and threatening communities in the Greenville and Pickens County area.

The two largest active fires in South Carolina as of Tuesday are the Table Rock fire in Pickens County and the Persimmon Ridge fire in Greeneville County.

Officials with the South Carolina Forestry Commission say that both the fires were started by human activity and difficult terrain and strong winds have allowed them to spread.

As of 8 p.m. Monday night the there have been no injuries reported and no structures are threatened, however voluntary evacuations remain in place, according to the Forestry Commission.

READ MORE | FEMA authorizes federal funds to help battle South Carolina wildfires

The fire in Pickens County has spread to over 1,100 acres and the fire in Greenville County spans just over 300 acres as of Monday night. Neither fire has been reported contained.

A statewide burn ban is in place, with the aim of preventing any other fires from being sparked and spreading.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved federal funds to reimburse costs to South Carolina to fight the ongoing fires.

The approved grants will provide federal funding for up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs.